Jon Searles' photos with the keyword: ceramic

Ceramic stoves have been in use in the Czech Republic, both for heating and cooking, since at least the 17th Century. The older ones are extremely ornate, and not easily recognizable as stoves (which could be a safety hazard). However, they became much simpler in the 19th Century as they became more practical, small stoves for everybody, which is also when they were increasingly used for cooking. Usually, they've run on coal, and in spite of this you can still buy them.

These ceramic stoves, usually fired by coal and used for heating more than cooking, aren't unique to Sumava and in fact can be found in various sizes all over the Czech Republic. They also aren't anything resembling new technology, as I've seen some from as far back as the Baroque period. Originally they were mainly for palaces and other very expensive buildings, sometimes reaching enormous sizes, but now the irony is that they're being made obsolete by central heating and/or the even more modern phenomenon of independent electric radiators in each room, so now they're as much associated with cottages in the countryside.